1945: A German V-2 rocket ready for launching at Cuxhaven in Luneburg district, Lower Saxony. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)V2 Rocket. Photographer. Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. Accessed Apr 24, 2019.
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Since the beginning of World War 2, German scientists and engineers developed the first missiles and rockets in order to gain an advantage on the battlefield. This was the first technology that would allow a military to bomb long range targets with high explosives without risking troops. However, due to the lack of funding and support for the program, competition between military branches, and attempts made to destroy or capture the rocket sites by the Allies, the missile program inevitably failed to achieve its primary mission.
Author: Paul Hanna
Interviewer: Sam Wojcik